Page 29 of Forsaken (The Nightwolf Pack #3)

CHAPTER 29

S erafina

Slowly, my eyes peel open. My vision goes from blurry to clear in an instant and a smile touches my lips.

I’m in our bed, in our shared bedroom. I stretch my arms overhead before reaching out to my side for my mates. Instead of touching Ronan, who always takes the left side of the bed, I run my hand along cool bed sheets.

A beat passes, and I realize none of my mates are in the bed with me.

I sit up on my elbows, looking around, to find that, yes, I am indeed the only one in this humongous bed. All by myself.

My heart sinks as the sudden rush of horror comes to mind. I hadn’t realized how much I loved waking up with them next to me.

Where have they gone?

Just as important, possibly, why can’t I remember the previous night? The last thing I recall is being in Noah’s office while he drilled into me from behind while Ronan watched from the doorway.

That wasn’t a dream.

Mate!

I squeeze my eyes shut as two distinct voices war in my head. One of them is my subconscious. The inner voice I’ve heard for my entire life. The other voice, it’s not quite new but stronger than it’s been over the past few weeks. Not entirely mine but also a part of me.

“What is?—”

I stop as the door opens.

Montgomery is the first to enter the bedroom. He smiles as soon as he sees I’m awake, but his eyes, they tell a different story.

There’s concern and worry in them.

“You’re awake.”

I squint at the odd note in his tone. He says it as if he’s been waiting for me to wake up.

I glance at the clock on the wall. It’s only seven o’clock. Around the normal time I get up to prepare for school.

“Yes-ss.”

My hand goes to my throat. My throat is so dry that my voice cracks as I answer him.

“Here.” Montgomery hands me a cup of hot tea.

I shake my head, refusing it. “I-I …” I clear my throat, attempting to swallow a couple of times before I try to speak again. “I need to brush my teeth before I drink anything.”

I rip the blankets from my body and start to move to get out of bed, but Ronan is there, hands on my shoulders, stopping me.

“What are you doing?” I question. “I need to get ready for work.” I pause and my eyes go to the clock again.

“Shouldn’t you be showered by now?”

I look him over. He’s dressed in a pair of plaid pajama bottoms and his hair is tousled, not the normal neatly brushed back style he wears when going into the office.

“You shouldn’t move so quickly,” Noah answers.

“What are you talking about? I have to get ready for work.”

“Serafina, stop,” Ronan orders, his hands on my arms, keeping me in the bed.

“What’s going on? It’s Monday morning. I need to get ready to go to school and you should be getting ready to go to work,” I tell Ronan. “And don’t you have the big construction job you needed to leave early for today?” I ask Montgomery.

All three of them stare at me, which lets me know I’ve just said something wrong.

“What?”

“Today is Thursday,” Ronan answers slowly.

It takes a while for me to fully process his words.

I shake my head. “Thursday?”

He nods, looking at me like I’m a lost puppy.

Mmm. Mate, that strange voice inside of me purrs. I press my hand against my chest, in an attempt to soothe the voice, whatever it is.

“You need to eat,” Montgomery says.

“I’m … I’m not—” My suddenly growling stomach cuts off my protest.

“I’ll bring up your breakfast.”

“No,” I tell Montgomery. “I can come down the stairs.” I avoid Ronan’s reaching arms to rise out of the bed. Big mistake.

My legs are weak and heavy, and I end up stumbling, nearly falling. But Ronan and Noah are both there to catch me.

“I can walk,” I tell them in a low but determined voice.

“We’ll help you.” Ronan is more insistent.

At least, he doesn’t try to carry me. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t mind it, but right now I feel too vulnerable to be carried. My mind screams at me that something is wrong. Apparently, I’m missing the last few days from my memory.

I don’t know what’s going on, but I need to figure it out. And I want to be able to stand on my own two feet while I do.

“Bathroom,” I say as I make my way to the door.

Thankfully, Ronan and Noah let go of me, allowing me the freedom to navigate to the bathroom by myself. While my legs continue to tremble, they eventually remember what they’re supposed to do.

I steady myself enough that I can use the bathroom on my own. After brushing my teeth, I emerge to find Noah and Ronan still at the door, hovering. As if they are ready to pounce at any moment to help me if needed.

Again, that strange voice inside of me purrs in contentment. It loves their nearness. I do, too, to be honest. So much that I don’t protest when Noah wraps a long arm around my waist, pulling me into his body.

I turn into him and inhale, relishing his deeply woodsy male scent.

As soon as I lift my face from Noah’s body, the smell of freshly cooked bacon, eggs scrambled with cheese, butter, and herbs, and freshly baked bread hits my nose.

I groan at the same time my stomach twists and growls in hunger.

“I knew we should’ve tried to wake her up to feed her,” Montgomery says as we enter the dining area. He glares at his two brothers.

“She needed rest more than food,” Ronan says.

Montgomery doesn’t reply, but the way he cuts his gaze at him tells me he doesn’t quite agree.

Noah, who still hasn’t released me from his hold, takes a seat, bringing me down on his lap.

I peer down at him in confusion.

“We missed you.” He nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

I sigh in contentment. This isn’t the worst seat I can think of.

Noah chuckles after I say as much out loud and then wiggle my ass in his lap.

“Stop that,” he insists, though. “You need to eat. Open.”

He holds a forkful of eggs in front of my mouth. I didn’t even notice Montgomery and Ronan brought our plates to the table.

I allow Noah to feed me. The buttery, creamy, herby eggs are a delight to my tastebuds. I chew and then instantly open my mouth for another bite.

It’s as if my hunger grows with each bite. Montgomery’s cooking is typically outstanding, so much so that I often can’t get enough, but this hunger is on a different level.

“Oh my Mother Moon! You made waffles,” I gush as soon as Montgomery brings out a second plate of food with waffles on it.

Noah doesn’t hesitate to cut into the large Belgian waffle and bring a forkful to my mouth. At this point, I should feel super odd that I’m a grown woman literally being hand fed my breakfast. But my hunger supersedes any and all pride at this point.

While Montgomery normally cooks a lot of food for our meals—given the fact that he’s cooking for four people, three of which are alpha wolf shifters—today’s breakfast is larger than normal.

It’s not until I’m about three-fourths of the way done with the second Belgian waffle that I start to slow down. The hunger, though still present, has subsided significantly, allowing me to think more clearly.

“Do you want more orange juice?” Noah asks.

Holding my hands up, I shake my head. “I’m okay, thanks.”

I watch as he brings the glass to his lips, drinking the freshly squeezed orange juice. A new type of hunger arises as I notice his Adam’s apple bob up and down.

My hand lifts and traces the skin of his neck.

A low rumbling starts in his chest.

“Little Hellraiser.” My name is a whisper and a plea on his lips.

Yeah, definitely a different kind of hunger arises. I move in to press a kiss to his lips, but he stops me.

“No.” Noah shakes his head.

I stop and look at the rest of the table. Ronan and Montgomery silently watching us. I can see the lust in both of their eyes. But neither one of them make a move either.

“What day did you say it was again?” I ask.

“Thursday,” Ronan answers.

“And you’re not dressed for work yet,” I comment.

He shakes his head.

I close my eyes before opening them again and look around the table at my mates.

“What happened?”